Student Voice Conference: Empowering voices and shaping the future
Published on 27.01.2025On Wednesday, January 22nd, our exciting and thought-provoking Student Conference took place at Brooks restaurant, where 90 selected students were brought together for a series of group discussions. Student Voice Week, organised with a focus on student engagement and feedback, provided a platform for learners to share their opinions and ideas on eight key topics impacting both their immediate college experience and wider society.
The students were divided into groups and split into discussion sessions with lecturers, governors and leadership staff, including CEO Christine Ricketts who helped guide the conversation. After 15 minutes, students were asked to move to a new table that focused on a different key topic. This rotation format kept the energy high, and ensured students were able to explore as many diverse perspectives as possible. With topics ranging from “Future of Work and Money Worries” to “Arts and Culture,” students had the opportunity to engage in a variety of different subjects that are shaping the world today. Each key topic had a list of pre-selected questions that were chosen by students and designed to encourage reflection and thoughtful conversation.
All students were encouraged to participate in Student Voice week by our personal development team and tutors, who raised these questions and key themes to students in their personal development sessions. Our key themes included:
- Future of Work and Money Worries:
- Climate Change and Sustainability
- Health and Mental Well-being
- College Vision and Community
- Technology and Society
- Teaching, Learning and Achievement
- Enrichment and Student Experience
- Arts and Culture
With over 100 students participating across both campuses, the feedback gathered from these discussions will be compiled into a comprehensive report that will serve as a reflection of the students’ voices and act as a catalyst for change across the college. We are aiming to transform these insights into achievable actions that can enhance both the student experience and the future of our college community.
By fostering stronger community ties and addressing concerns about mental health and diversity, the student conference has opened the door to more meaningful conversations with our students—and the process of taking action from those conversations has only just begun. We are excited to share our changes based on our students’ feedback in the following weeks.
